


My Husband's Shapeshifting Soulmate

by Takara_Phoenix



Series: My Husband [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Realities, Alternate Reality Traveling, Familiar Jace, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Puppy Jace, Shapeshifter Jace, Slash, Soulmates, Soulmates Jagnus, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27974858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takara_Phoenix/pseuds/Takara_Phoenix
Summary: Jace – familiar and soulmate of Magnus Bane – accidentally falls through a portal and ends up in the body of a Jace who is a Shadowhunter and living with a Magnus who is happily married to Alec Lightwood.It's conflicting for him, because Magnus is supposed to be his soulmate - but the body of this world's Jace shares a soul-bond with Alec, a man who is a total stranger to Jace.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood/Jace Wayland
Series: My Husband [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2068593
Comments: 32
Kudos: 192





	My Husband's Shapeshifting Soulmate

Shadowhunters || Malace || My Husband's Shapeshifting Soulmate || Malace || Shadowhunters

Title: My Boyfriend's Shapeshifting Soulmate – Nighttime Cuddles

Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments

Disclaimer: All rights to the _Shadowhunters_ show reserved to Ed Decter, the books the show is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: polyamory (m/m/m), alternate reality travels, shapeshifter, familiar, soulmates

Main Pairing: Magnus/Alec/Jace

Shadowhunters Characters: Jonathan 'Jace' Herondale, Magnus Bane, Alexander 'Alec' Lightwood

Summary: Jace – familiar and soulmate of Magnus Bane – accidentally falls through a portal and ends up in the body of a Jace who is a Shadowhunter and living with a Magnus who is happily married to Alec Lightwood.

**My Husband's Shapeshifting Soulmate**

_Nighttime Cuddles_

Alec Lightwood woke conflicting and confusing feelings inside of Jace.

On the one hand, this was a total stranger, who was married to _Jace's husband_. So the urge to simply growl at the dark-haired, way too tall man to _make him go away_ was huge.

On the other hand... this body, the body of this world's Jace, shared a bond with this man. A very deep bond, one Jace recognized all too easily; a soul-bond. This body trusted Alec Lightwood blindly and loved this man fiercely, which overwrote Jace's urge to growl. Mostly.

But to be quite honest, on the list of Jace Bane's problems, _this_ didn't even make the top three.

His main problem was that he was stuck in an alternate universe, all alone, with no idea how to get back home. Those were his top three problems at the moment and they had started when Jace had accompanied his husband and soulmate to the Seelie Realm. King Meliorn had requested Magnus' help with something, but then there had been chaos – a Seelie who didn't like having a warlock in the Seelie Realm had attacked. Jace, he was more than just Magnus' husband, he was the warlock's familiar – bound to Magnus' magic and soul, his _protector_. So he had done what he did best; he protected Magnus. Things had gone out of hand though and Jace had fallen through one of the portals in the forest. He knew about them, Magnus had explained them a long time ago.

On the other side of every portal was an alternate reality and when one went through a portal, their conscience was transported into the body of their alternate self. The most important thing was to not lose himself. It was easy to get lost in the alternate memories that lived in this body. The longer Jace was going to stay here, the more he risked _disappearing_.

One sign of that was just how much he could _feel_ this body's memories when it came to Alec Lightwood. He started to remember things that he himself had never experienced. Moving to the Institute in New York, meeting the Lightwoods, becoming parabatai with Alec.

Jace wasn't a Shadowhunter. Yes, technically, once upon a time, he had been a Shadowhunter. The child of two Shadowhunters. But Valentine Morgenstern had stolen him from his mother's womb and had experimented with him, had turned Jace into a familiar. The goal had been to strengthen himself by artificially creating a familiar who could potentially bond with Valentine and lend his strength to Valentine. When Jace was ten, it became apparent that he couldn't, not even the experiments could bend the laws of magic. Familiars could only bond with warlocks. Deemed a failed experiment, Jace had been discarded. Catarina Loss had found him, a frightened, homeless child, and taken him in, raised him as her own.

When Jace was nineteen, Magnus Bane returned to New York in all his glamorous self and Catarina had eagerly introduced Jace. The two bonded, became friends, grew even closer. Jace instinctively chose Magnus as _his_ warlock and the High Warlock of Brooklyn was more than honored by this. The bond between a warlock and a familiar was a chosen soul-bond and after the bond was formed, Jace and Magnus only felt more and more drawn to each other. They fell in love and had only recently gotten married. They were still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage and Jace hated being apart from his husband – hated even more to be apart from his soulmate.

What he hated even more was that Magnus was _right here_. But it wasn't _his_ Magnus.

This Magnus Bane was married to Alec Lightwood, a complete stranger as far as Jace had been concerned when first coming to this world. It had taken Jace days to adjust. _His_ Magnus had told him to be careful and try to blend in, if he ever got stuck in such a situation, and then wait. Wait for Magnus, because Magnus would _always_ find him. So Jace did his best to play along and he waited.

The more hours he spent in this world, the more memories of this world's Jace had come flooding in. And then came the nightmares. The day had ended and Jace had... unwillingly... gone to bed in the guest-room, even though his instinct had been to go to the _master bedroom_ , where he _belonged_. No, instead he had watched his Magnus go with Alec after biding him a good night.

All alone in this room he didn't know, in this world he didn't know, he had fallen asleep to miserable nightmares – haunting images of this world's Jace's life. A horrid life. Yes, Jace had suffered under Valentine too, had had an awful and traumatizing childhood, but when he was ten, he got to meet his mom, was taken in by a woman who _loved_ him, cherished him and sheltered him. This world's Jace? He continued training to become a soldier, going to missions as a mere child. This whole... child soldier thing, he had never questioned it, not until Catarina had taken him in. She had a thing or two to say about it, she also made sure Jace saw a therapist about his childhood trauma.

The things this Jace had been through in recent years though – they were awful. For the first time in _years_ , Jace woke up in a cold sweat, breath labored and fear gripping his heart. And... And for the first time in _years_ , Jace woke up alone, without Magnus to hold him...

"I can't do this", muttered Jace frustrated, tugging on his hair. "I can't do this without you, Mag."

He turned to stare longingly at the door and, with a frustrated huff, got out of bed. This Jace was a Shadowhunter, _not_ a familiar, so... Straightening up, Jace turned into his familiar form – a Golden Retriever. If he couldn't be in his husband's arm in his human form, then he would in his dog form. Patting down the hall, he found himself in front of the master bedroom. The door stood ajar, thankfully enough, so he could simply push it open with his head. It was an easy enough jump onto the bed and then he had to control the urge to growl at Alec for being all cuddled up against Magnus. Yet at the same time, this body, it felt overcome with longing when looking at Alec.

The easiest solution was to just push his way between Magnus and Alec. Whining softly, he rested his head on Magnus' chest, nosing his husband's cheek. This one even smelt like Jace's Magnus...

"...Alexander why is there a dog in our bed...?"

Magnus yawned widely, woken by the touch of Jace's nose. The warlock was staring at him in confusion. Jace just whined, offering the most endearing puppy-dog eyes possible. Perhaps he hadn't thought this entirely through. A sudden dog in the house was going to raise some questions.

"...Dog...?", grunted Alec confused. "...There's a dog in our bed."

"That's what I just said, darling", sighed Magnus fondly.

He smiled at Alec the way... the way Magnus was supposed to smile at Jace. Jace whined and pushed his face between Magnus and Alec. Slowly, Alec sat up on the bed. Admittedly, Alec was very attractive. Jace wasn't blind and without a shirt like this, Alec sure was showing off his best assets. That was definitely Magnus' type. And, apparently, also this world's Jace's type, if the conflicting feelings he was experiencing were anything to go by.

"Hey there", whispered Alec with a soft smile. "You're a beaut."

He grasped Jace's face, ruffling his fur. Huh, at least the guy knew how to treat a dog. Jace closed his eyes and relaxed as Alec scratched him behind the ear. Alec laughed as Jace rolled onto his side, baring his stomach. Immediately, the Shadowhunter started caressing Jace's stomach.

"Oh, such a cuddly good boy", cooed Alec, fully focused on Jace.

"Alexander, do not get distracted by the puppy's belly. Focus on the fact that there _is a dog in our bed_. Where does it come from? How did it get through my wards, into our loft? Alexander-"

"I always wanted a dog", declared Alec, wrapping his arms around Jace and pulling him close. "Can we keep him, Mag? We can figure out where he came from tomorrow. It's late."

"Alexander...", sighed Magnus, though the look on his face was filled with so much love. "What do you say, dog? Can you behave yourself for one night and we figure you out in the morning?"

Jace wiggled out of Alec's grasp to instead sit on Magnus' chest, tail wagging and head tilted in the cutest way. This always worked on his Magnus, surely this Magnus couldn't be immune to it either.

"Oh, you _are_ a beaut", admitted Magnus, smiling a little. "Okay, you may stay."

Sighing relieved, Jace laid down and snuggled up to his husband, finding solace and comfort in Magnus' arms, even if it weren't the arms of _his_ Magnus. But it would do, at least until his Magnus would find him and bring him back home.

/break\

Alec woke up with his nose buried in soft for. He smiled when he saw the puppy all cuddled up to Magnus. The two of them looked adorable like that. It was true that Alec had always wanted a dog, but the Institute didn't allow them. Gently, he traced down the dog's spine.

"Though I _do_ wonder where you came from", whispered Alec curiously.

"So do I", tagged Magnus on with a wide yawn. "Good morning, darling."

He leaned over to kiss Alec, but before his lips could touch the Shadowhunter, the cute puppy had woken up and sat up in a way that put him right between them so he received Magnus' kiss. The puppy looked surprisingly smug about it, which was adorable in itself. Laughing, Alec leaned in to kiss the puppy's other cheek, startling the Golden Retriever.

"Oh. Oh, look at those eyes", whispered Alec surprised. "Look, Magnus. He has heterochromia."

Magnus leaned in to look at the dog, making a curious little sound. Blue eyes, but one corner brown. Just like Jace's eyes. That softened the look on Alec's face even more. Yes, he was weak for his parabatai and anything that reminded him of his parabatai.

" _Ple—ease_ can we keep him, Magnus? He's _perfect_ ", whispered Alec.

"As though I could ever say no to you, Alexander", sighed Magnus amused. "Very well, but for now, I really need a shower. And you, go find that parabatai of yours and find out if he knows where this dog even came from. Only then can we keep him!"

"You're the best, babe", grinned Alec and kissed Magnus' cheek.

Both humans left the bed and then parted ways, Magnus heading to their private bathroom and Alec making his way to Jace's room. He grew concerned when he found Jace's bed empty. It was a reflexive reaction at this point, really. It was also the reason Jace was still living with Alec and Magnus, even though the two were by now married, even though Aldertree – the reason Jace had moved in with Magnus to begin with – had been gone for _so long_ now. After everything, Alec needed to know his parabatai close and safe. And there was no safer place than behind Magnus' wards. He could count himself lucky that his boyfriend had always been accepting of this. Then again, if not, then the two would have never gotten married. Because Jace was and always would be a huge part of Alec's life and his husband _needed_ to understand that.

Thankfully, Magnus was absolutely amazing and perfect. It had taken him some time, yes. At first, he had been determined to make Alec fall in love with him _and out of love with Jace_. But over the following months, Magnus had come to realize that while he had managed to make Alec fall in love with him, Alec would also always love Jace. It took time for Magnus to settle with that, begrudgingly at first but with time – time that Jace was living right here, with Magnus – the warlock saw a different side of Jace and came to appreciate Jace in a new light. Very slowly, Magnus fell in love with Jace too. The first time Magnus had told Alec that, it hadn't computed. At all.

Magnus... was in love with Jace? Alec's gut-reaction had been to ask if Magnus wanted to break up with Alec, which had startled a laugh out of Magnus. No. Magnus had just wanted for Alec to _know_ , know that finally Magnus understood – understood what it was like to love Jace, understood what it was like to love two people. The begrudging acceptance had changed right then and there, because Magnus now truly understood that one could love two people at the same time and, more specifically, he understood the appeal of Jace Herondale.

"...You got lost? Your bedroom's down the hall."

Startled, Alec whirled around – and saw a lot of the appeal of Jace Herondale. Because Jace was basically naked, only wearing a towel. Right. So Jace had only been in the shower. Of course. Where else would he have been, he wouldn't just leave the loft, not without at least telling Alec. That was what they had agreed upon, if Jace left early for the Institute, he'd tell Alec or leave a note, because... Alec still worried a whole lot, after everything. Alec swallowed as he looked at shirtless Jace, his eyes trailing down Jace's chest before he caught himself.

"I was looking for you, parabatai. There is... a dog... in the apartment."

"Right. Him. I found him yesterday and brought him home with me. Thought Magnus wouldn't mind, what with the... cat shelter... he's running. But it was late, so I didn't want to wake you guys."

"You... found... a dog... and decided to take him home with you...", drawled Alec doubtfully.

That didn't sound like Jace. Jace had never really taken to strays. Now Max, he always brought every frog or snail or whatever he found home with him, much to Maryse's dismay.

"Yeah. There... was an incident. He was pretty brave. Figured I owe him. Besides, I remembered that you always wanted a dog. So why not one that bravely saved your parabatai's life?"

There was a mischievous grin on Jace's face, but... something felt off. Honestly, Alec had been thinking so since yesterday. Jace seemed stiff around him, the word 'parabatai' that usually rolled off his tongue so naturally sounded nearly misplaced. All day yesterday, then he had left for a walk to 'clear his head' and Alec had hoped it'd help Jace sort whatever was on his mind. Apparently, it hadn't. Whatever it was, Jace would come to him if he wanted to talk about it. Hopefully. Alec just needed to give him some time.

/break\

Magnus had always fancied himself a cat-person. After all, he _did_ have a lot of cats and for a reason. Yet here he was, for the fourth day in a row, with a very cuddly puppy snuggled up to him. And the Golden Retriever had _really_ taken to him, which was a surprise to Magnus, but it surely endeared him to the big puppy. They had named him JJ – Jace Junior, due to the keen resemblance to Jace – and though he seemed to hide away during the day, he would always join Magnus and Alec in bed at night, tail wagging and happily cuddling up to Magnus in particular. It was Alec to whom the dog still needed to warm up, curiously enough. But as long as he got to snuggle up to Magnus, JJ even allowed Alec to cuddle and pet him, which made Alec happy.

"Jace has been behaving strange lately", sighed Alec.

He was spooning the puppy, hugging him tightly against his chest, nose buried in soft fur, while JJ was laying half on top of Magnus. Magnus smiled amused, running his fingers though the fur on JJ's head, the puppy offering him a blissful expression at it.

"You mean how he tried hugging Cat today?", asked Magnus curiously. "That... startled even her, curiously enough. The two talk, sure, but... they're not hugging-level of friends."

"That. He... was more eager to be affectionate with _her_ than he was with _me_ in the past couple of days. It nearly feels like he's avoiding me, Magnus", sighed Alec frustrated.

"I'm... sure he's simply... trying not to worry you", offered Magnus gently, carefully pulling Alec closer against himself. "You know him, he thinks not telling you how much something hurts him won't worry you. It's like he only met you today, darling."

He laughed gently and kissed Alec, who simply grumbled. "Stupid parabatai of mine..."

"And yet you _love_ him", teased Magnus, a fond look in his eyes.

"Shut up", muttered Alec with red cheeks. "Don't you think he's been behaving oddly...?"

"He... has been... far more affectionate with me", admitted Magnus reluctantly. "Casual touches, gentle in passing, he... has been smiling more at me. Not that snarky little sarcastic smile, genuine and soft ones. The ones you wax poetry about. It's... peculiar. Not unappreciated though."

"That's just weird", sighed Alec before pausing. "I mean, I _want_ him to be more open and affectionate with you, you know that, Magnus. But..."

"But it _is_ strange that he seems to seek me out more than you, I agree."

JJ whined, interrupting them as he started licking Magnus' face. Laughing, the warlock hugged the Golden Retriever closer. That was the other strange thing, aside from Jace's behavior – the dog.

"There was a reason Catarina was over today", said Magnus after a moment.

"...You say that like it's more than just work. What's... going on, Magnus?"

"This magnificent, gorgeous creature here", drawled Magnus, gently cupping JJ's face. "Is not a dog. Not a regular dog anyway. I've had my suspicions for... about two days now. So I asked Catarina to come over and confirm it for me. JJ is a familiar."

"What... does that mean?", asked Alec confused.

"Familiars are magical creatures. You may have encountered them in stories before, the cats that live with the witch in the hut, such things. They're animals, but they carry magic. Basically the animal-version of warlocks, really. And they tend to bond with human warlocks. I've felt my magic curling around him for days now, calling to him. And him calling to me."

"Oh, that's... that's fascinating. So that means we are definitely keeping JJ?"

It was endearing how Alec perked up at that, offering the same hopeful puppy-dog eyes as the literal puppy-dog in Alec's arms. How would Magnus possibly be able to deny those two anything...?

"I don't think that is only up to me", hummed Magnus, teasingly booping JJ's nose. "Mh, little one. Is what why you ended up in the loft? Seeking out the High Warlock? You could... turn into your human form so we could _talk_. Also about the fact that you've been sleeping in my bed."

"...Human form?", echoed Alec confused, blinking a couple of times.

"Yes. Familiars are essentially shapeshifters", confirmed Magnus, still staring at JJ. "Come on, gorgeous. You could actually tell us your real name then."

JJ simply whined and hid his face beneath his paws, which was far too adorable. It was, however, also not working on Magnus. The High Warlock raised one unimpressed eyebrow at the familiar. The stare-down lasted until the Golden Retriever cracked and sat up on all fours, shaking himself. Magic sparks flew as the animal turned into... Jace.

"In all fairness, I didn't expect you to _notice_ ", muttered Jace annoyed.

"...How long has your parabatai been a familiar?", asked Magnus startled, taking Alec's hand.

"I... I never... _How_? Were you... cursed, or something? What... Is this the thing you've been trying to hide from me, Jace? What... What happened?", asked Alec, staring intensely at Jace.

The blonde heaved an annoyed sigh and leaned back against the headboard. This... really was very unlike Jace. The Jace Magnus knew – the Jace Magnus had _fallen in love with_ – would lean into Alec, would seek Alec's comfort and warmth and spill the beans.

" _Your_ Jace isn't a familiar. But it seems I... brought my magic with me from my world."

Magnus' eyes widened at that. "You're not our Jace. You're from an alternate universe."

"...That explains... so much", whispered Alec, sounding relieved for a moment. "Wait. Is... Is Jace, my Jace, _our Jace_ , okay? What is... Where is he?"

"He's fine. He's... basically taking a nap in the backseat while I took the wheel."

Jace was so dismissive of Alec's worries. It really didn't sit right with Magnus.

"Tell us about your world", prompted Magnus. " _Why_ are you so... cold... toward Alexander?"

"Because _I don't know him_!", barked Jace out, sounding frustrated and upset and confused. "I don't know him, but he's married to my husband and I have to see this _complete stranger_ kiss the man I love! And I want to be _angry_ with him, because I don't know him, but I am stuck in this body and it _loves him so much_ that it physically hurts me! I'm not a Shadowhunter, I don't understand these feelings, this bond, I'm not supposed to have this bond, how do you deal with sharing a soul-bond with a total stranger...? While the man who is supposed to be my soulmate looks at me as his... roommate... I... I can't, this is so confusing, so frustrating, so... I don't..."

Jace took a shaky breath, tears gathered in the corners of his eyes as he stared at Magnus. So much despair in those mismatched eyes. Carefully, Magnus reached out to pull Jace into his arms. The blonde practically melted into the embrace, clinging onto him.

"This isn't _fair_. When you told me there are alternate realities, you never said there would be worlds where you're not mine. I _hate_ this. I miss you, I miss _my_ Magnus, my _husband_ , my _soulmate_ ", gasped Jace out, face buried in Magnus' chest. "It's not fair, it's _not fair_..."

"Sh, it's okay, I'm so sorry", whispered Magnus gently, carefully caressing Jace's hair.

"It's _not_ ", growled Jace, hands clawed into Magnus' shirt. "I miss my husband, I miss my mom, I miss my little sister, I miss my best friend... I hugged my mom and she acted _surprised_. She didn't even hug me back. And my little sister called me 'uncle Jace'... I hate this world. I _hate_ it."

That explained the hug. Magnus still needed to get out of this Jace how exactly he had ended up with Catarina, but if Catarina was his mother, then that explained today's behavior. Carefully, Magnus hugged Jace closer, running his hands over Jace's sides.

"Who's your best friend, sweetheart?", asked Magnus gently, wanting to keep the blonde talking.

"Raph", muttered Jace before he paused. "Raphael Santiago."

"My, your world does sound fascinating and I would love to see it", hummed Magnus softly.

Slowly, Jace's breathing evened out and the blonde fell asleep in Magnus' arms. Magnus' eyes found his husband, sitting folded together against the headboard, as far away from Magnus and Jace as physically possible while still being on the bed, a worried frown on his face.

"That sounds _awful_ ", muttered Alec to himself. "I can't imagine waking up in a world where... where the parabatai-bond doesn't exist, a world where Jace isn't my soulmate, where he doesn't even know me. This... This Jace must feel awful, his... soulmate not being his soulmate."

"Let me assure you that _our_ Jace will be fine, what this Jace said is true, he's simply... asleep, in the back of his own mind. What's more critical is that this Jace gets back into his own body, before he risks being lost in our world forever, because... if our Jace wakes up before this Jace is gone..."

"I don't want that. I don't want _any_ Jace to be harmed."

Magnus smiled faintly at his husband before adjusting himself and the sleeping blonde so all three were laying on the bed together again, Jace between Magnus and Alec, peacefully asleep.

/break\

When Jace woke up, he was in his husband's arms and it took him a moment before he realized he was still in the wrong world and... this wasn't _his_ husband. He instinctively glared at the Shadowhunter who was laying right opposite Jace... at least until Jace realized that warm, gentle brown eyes were staring right back at him. It eased the glare off Jace and made Jace want to reach out to his parabatai to snuggle up to Alec, but Jace knew that was the memory of the _other_ Jace.

"Why did we never meet?", asked Alec gently. "Not... Not even during the war?"

"I... never came to the Institute. I'm not a Shadowhunter. What Valentine did to me in my world, it... I'm not a Shadowhunter. So he just... abandoned me in the streets of New York. And Cat, she found me. She took me in and raised me as her own, loved me as her own. I don't know how... your... Magnus got dragged into _your_ war, but mine didn't. He was responsible of his warlocks and he protected them, he had no business with the Institute. I don't know... how your life went. Maybe... Maybe I'll look into it, when I get home? But our paths never crossed before."

"So... you... you had a happy childhood?", asked Alec hopefully.

Jace smiled at that, nodding slowly. "Went to mundie school, made friends, went to prom, all the... normal things. The things your Jace didn't have. I was happy and loved. And then I met the love of my life, when Magnus Bane returned to New York... God, he was so _breathtaking_ , the first time I saw him. The cat eyes, the smirk, the way he waved at me with his ringed and perfectly manicured fingers. I was... I was _so_ gone on him, basically from the moment we met."

"Mh... I get that", whispered Alec, a small smile on his own lips. "I felt the same way when I met him. I... also felt the same way... when I first met you..."

"Then why am I sleeping in the guest-room?", asked Jace, with just an edge to his voice.

"W... W... What?", sputtered Alec, cheeks flushing.

Jace reached down, pushing his own shirt up to rest a hand on his parabatai-rune. "You are his _soulmate_. You two, you're... you're chosen soulmates, like me and Magnus. You chose each other. And though I do not entirely understand this bond, I can _feel_ it. I can feel how intense Jace's feelings are for you, I can feel how intense your feelings are for him, they bleed through the bond, that is how a soul-bond works, it's a two-way street of sharing feelings. You must know how much Jace loves you, he must know how much you love him. And... while this Jace's feelings for Magnus aren't as... all consuming as my feelings for Magnus are, they're still _there_."

"...You... I mean, _my_ Jace... loves me?", asked Alec confused.

"How do you not know this? How are you this out of tune with your soulmate? How did the fact that the both of you chose to tie your souls together not... tell you anything?"

Jace stared at him like he was an idiot, which prompted Magnus behind them to laugh a little. He rested his chin on Jace's shoulder to look over at his baffled husband. Jace made a content little sound as he snuggled up back against Magnus, visibly relaxing more.

"The parabatai-bond, it's... not usually a romantic one. Shadowhunters actually forbid it", explained Magnus a bit more seriously. "And Alexander has been very deep in the closet and very afraid of his feelings ever being revealed to anyone, I think... even if he felt Jace's feelings for him, that fear overwrote any of that. Denial is a hell of a drug, you know."

"...Huh. But... they love each other. They should be together", argued Jace confused.

"That's what I have been saying, sweetheart", chuckled Magnus fondly.

"You... That's what you call me", whispered Jace in awe, turning to look at Magnus longingly.

"Mh. Interesting. It does suit you."

"Do you love me?", asked Jace, with only an edge of despair to his word. "This Jace. Do you love this Jace? Because... you... sure don't seem to mind having me in your bed. And I don't understand."

"I... do", admitted Magnus after a beat. "But Jace is Alexander's parabatai first and I will not push anything. And... Jace is living here, under my roof. I'm not going to push and make him uncomfortable in his own home either, if... that is not what he wants."

"It's what he wants", whispered Jace with emphasis and longing. "Sleeping in your bed is like the first time this body has actually _relaxed_ since I took the wheel. This boy is so tightly wound and so tense. I... feel bad for him, I really do, but it is also so _exhausting_ to experience this..."

"I hope your... husband... finds you soon", whispered Magnus gently.

There was worry written all over his face, because this was not a good sign. Jace knew it wasn't a good sign. He was exhausted, tired, struggling. He was losing the fight and if he didn't get back home soon, he might lose... far more than that. And it frightened him. It _terrified him_.

"What if he doesn't. What if I never see him again?", asked Jace in a small voice.

"If your Magnus is _anything_ like mine... he will move heaven and Earth to get you back", promised Alec seriously, grasping Jace's hands and squeezing them reassuringly. "Because my Magnus, the Magnus who _isn't_ soulmates with Jace, he... he summed his shitty father and made a deal with him and _gave up his magic_ to save our Jace's life. If that's what a Magnus who isn't your soulmate is willing to do to save you... I can't imagine what your Magnus is currently doing to get you back."

Both Jace and Magnus stared at him in surprise at that. Not even Magnus had ever quite put these things together like that, into perspective like that. He smiled faintly at Alexander, while Jace relaxed more in his arms. Because yes, he shouldn't doubt his Magnus.

/break\

Everything was decidedly too big when Jace woke up and it sent him into a panic. He tried speaking, but it didn't work, so he made sounds, whatever sounds he could make. Within moments, the calming presence of his parabatai closed in on him and he found himself in Alec's arms. He eased down a little, the erratic beating of his heart slowing down. Still, even in Alec's arms... he felt too small. He knew his parabatai was tall, very tall, tall enough that Jace always had to get onto his toe-tips to hug him, but _this_ right now was ridiculous? How was he so small?

"Jace? Hey, calm down. If you're calmed down, turn back human so you can tell me what startled you like that", whispered Alec gently. "Are you ready to turn back? Do... you want me to get Magnus? He's out right now, but... if I'd call him, he'd come right away, mh?"

Jace frowned confused at his parabatai. Why would he need Magnus here? Right, no, wait. He was so small and he couldn't speak, maybe something was wrong with him. Something magical. He whined again, because he didn't know what 'turn back' was supposed to mean.

"...Okay, I'm calling Magnus, because you're making me nervous", grunted Alec.

He left to get his phone and, moments later, returned with Magnus in tow. Jace's... butt... started wiggling at that, which was just the weirdest sensation possible. Frowning, Jace turned around a bit, just to see a tail that was wagging. Instinctively, he tried to capture the moving thing.

"Oh, that is precious, look at your parabatai chasing his own tail", cooed Magnus delighted.

"Magnus, focus", sighed Alec, though he also sounded fondly delighted. "Jace is acting strange. Again. I think... he might have had a panic-attack... and he's not turning back."

"Mh. Jace?", asked Magnus gently as he knelt down in front of the bed. "Jace, look at me. Are you... back? Are you _our_ Jace, sweetheart? Nod if that one over there is your parabatai."

Confused by the words, Jace nodded. Of course Alec was, what else could he be...?

"Mh. I think the other Jace went back home, finally. And... at the most impractical time, at that", explained Magnus to Alec. "While he was a dog. Our sweetheart here doesn't know how to turn back... Okay, Jace, look at me. Focus on yourself, focus on your true self, your human self. Every aspect of your body, picture it in your mind, can you do that for me? Ah. There you go. Good boy."

"W... What in the world is going on?", groaned Jace, grasping his throat. "Oh. Words. Good."

"How do we explain all this?", whispered Alec to himself before pulling Jace into a tight hug. "I am _so_ relieved you're back, parabatai. I missed you so much."

Jace naturally wrapped his arms around Alec's shoulders, hugging him as close as physically possible, letting the hug consume him fully. Nothing felt safer than being in his parabatai's arms.

"Seriously, what's going on?", grunted Jace gruffly and confused.

"Remember when you traveled to a parallel universe?", asked Magnus casually. "That, only... the reverse. An alternate Jace has been staying in your body for the past six days."

"...Okay. That... makes sense. But... why was I a dog?", asked Jace, looking at Magnus.

"Well, the.. other Jace... he isn't a Shadowhunter, he is a familiar – a magical shapeshifter. And he must have been... pulled back into his own world while being in his dog-form", explained Magnus.

"So what, I can now shapeshift?" Jace stared at Magnus in surprise.

"...Perhaps. But let's not test that right away. I'd like to check you through for now, okay? Just to make sure that you're fine, physically?", requested Magnus concerned.

"Sure, Mag. Do whatever, long as I get to take a nap after", huffed Jace.

" _Anything_ you want or need", promised Magnus with a gentle smile.

"Great, so I can keep your husband here for my nap?", asked Jace hopefully.

"Of course you can, sweetheart", assured Magnus, his eyes so warm and soft.

Sweetheart, huh? Where had _that_ come from? Though Jace had to admit... he liked it.

/break\

Over the following few days, Jace kept having strange dreams. Dreams about... what must have happened in the week his body had been hijacked by an alternate version of himself, as well as remnants of that Jace's memories. At first, Jace had simply guessed that was him dreaming, fantasizing. But they were all about only him and Magnus, without Alec – and though the gorgeous and charming warlock had very much made Jace fall in love with him ever since Jace had moved into the loft, it had always been Magnus _and Alec_ , in Jace's fantasies. He loved them _both_ , after all. So when he casually, awkwardly, asked about the alternate Jace and learned the guy had been married to Magnus, that made him put one and one together. He was experiencing memories from the other Jace – and he _loved_ them. He loved remembering the way Magnus' lips felt against his, his arms around Jace, his hands on Jace's body.

It just got weird when he started remembering that past week, more specifically the conversation that other Jace had with Magnus and Alec about _Jace's_ feelings. And Jace would most likely be far more mad about his own secrets being spilled like that if he didn't also remember Magnus and Alec's sides of the conversation. For a while, Jace simply laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling as he digested the memories. Alec... loved him. And so did Magnus!

Closing his eyes, Jace reached out through the bond and listened. For the first time, allowed himself to truly listen closely. No denial. He had always felt that Alec loved him, of course he did, they were parabatai after all. What kind of person would pick someone to tie their soul to and _not_ love them. But Jace, he had little experience with love, so he never quite understood it. The feelings he felt from Alec's end though, they were the same Jace felt.

Once he felt he had come to terms with things – far as he could anyway – he got out of bed and walked out of his room to head over to Magnus and Alec's. He didn't even knock, he just walked in, because words needed to be had and honestly, his life was completely upside down right now. He still hadn't dealt with the fact that he could now _shapeshift into a dog_.

As soon as he was inside the bedroom, he paused and just stared at Magnus and Alec. There was one other side-effect, aside from the turning into a dog thing and the remembering a different life. A pull toward Magnus, like a song being sung to him, calling him. Standing in front of the bed now, he could hear it even more clearly, drawing him closer until, without even noticing, Jace was sitting on the bed, right in front of Magnus, staring longingly at the warlock.

"...Are you quite alright, Jace?", asked Magnus concerned.

"No. Literally nothing has been already for days", growled Jace frustrated. "I turn into a dog when I get excited now! I have all of those memories that aren't mine and your magic-"

"My magic?", echoed Magnus surprised. "What... did I do?"

"It tastes like _cinnamon_. Why can I hear and feel and _taste_ your magic?", asked Jace.

That... hadn't been why he had come here, but it was burning on his mind. Magnus stared at him.

"...You... You _are_ a familiar now. And I... I think... you're bonding with me, with my magic."

"But that's... a soul-bond. Like the parabatai-bond", whispered Jace startled, backing off.

"It's the bond the other Jace shared with his Magnus", offered Magnus with a shrug.

"His Magnus. His husband Magnus", muttered Jace and shook his head. "Why didn't you two tell me about your conversation with the other Jace? The one where he stripped my feelings bare for you. He basically confessed on my behalf. And... you said you have... feelings for _me_ too, how have you not... brought that up with me? I mean, you know. Everything."

"Jace, you just... woke up from what was essentially a week long coma and had to deal with being a dog", argued Alec with a glare. "Sorry that we wanted to give you time to deal with things."

"Don't glare at me, parabatai", huffed Jace, narrowing his eyes at him. "You're always so selfless and worried about me, how are you _never_ selfish? You're so frustrating. Just _kiss me_."

That sure shut Alec up, the archer staring at his parabatai in surprise. "...What?"

"Kiss me. Actually, if you had been more selfish earlier, we could have done _that_ for years."

With that, Jace grabbed Alec's face and slowly pulled him closer. His parabatai eagerly leaned in and gently pressed his lips against Jace's. Kissing the man he shared a soul with felt... different. Intoxicating, really. Jace couldn't get enough, he found himself climbing onto Alec's lap for better access, kissing him until he ran out of air. Both of them were panting hard as they parted.

"Well, that went better than expected", noted Magnus pleased. "Do I get kisses too?"

"Ye—es. And after the kissing, you tell me more about that whole... familiar-deal."

Jace turned around, grasping Magnus' neck and pulling him into a kiss of their own. For months now, Jace had been struggling with his feelings for them both, because Magnus had made Jace realize that the love he held for Alec was a different kind of love than he had always assumed. But with nothing to compare it to, with no experience with romantic love at all, how had he been supposed to _know_? By the time he did, it was too late, because he was already dating Magnus.

/break\

A couple weeks later, Alec found himself happier than ever before in his life. He had a bright, genuine smile on his lips as he laid on his side, curled together, watching his husband and _their soulmate_. Magnus was reading a book, holding it with one hand while the other hand was caressing Jace's fur. Jace, who had gotten infinitely more comfortable with the shapeshifting and had come to actually enjoy the furred form quite a lot, particularly when it came to getting cuddles (or getting out of trouble because who could possibly yell at a wide-eyed Golden Retriever? That was inhumane). Not long ago, Magnus and Jace had committed to the familiar-warlock bond. The pull had simply become too strong, Jace couldn't and didn't want to deny it. And now, _now_ , Alec's husband truly understood what it felt like to love Jace Herondale – his soulmate. Both Alec and Magnus now shared a soul-bond of their own with Jace. And a bed.

"If you smile any broader, your face may crack, Alexander", noted Magnus fondly. "How about instead of observing us like scenery, you come in here and give our puppy the belly-rub he's been whining for for the last five minutes? I can't do that while reading. And he is persistent."

On command, Jace whined again, before he turned back into his human-form – only wearing boxer-shorts, but turning onto his back to bare his stomach to Alec with a broad, teasing grin.

"Belly-rubs?", asked Jace while wrapping his arms around Magnus' waist.

Alec laughed as he crawled closer so he could rest his head on Jace's chest and gently trace Jace's six-pack. These calm evenings? All three of them lived for them.

_~*~ The End ~*~_

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by a request for AU-dog-shifter!Jace from a world where Jagnus are married, who ends up in the canon verse and makes Malace happen. Now THAT was a lot of fun to write! I hope it was also fun to read ;)


End file.
